


To Lose You

by esmecvllens



Series: From Dusk Till Dawn [4]
Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, But also, Declarations Of Love, ESME CULLEN IS A SWEETHEART, F/M, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fix-It, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Carlisle Cullen, Reunited and It Feels So Good, Twilight Renaissance, and esme is very important to them all, eventually carlesme but u have to wait, rosalie is very important to me ok, uhh all my fics have that tag and what about it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-16
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27819205
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/esmecvllens/pseuds/esmecvllens
Summary: Rosalie and Esme stay in Forks to threw James off tracks and look over Charlie, but not everything goes according to plan.A fix-it (?) taking place in Twilight, after they all split up to protect Bella.
Relationships: Carlisle Cullen/Esme Cullen, Edward Cullen/Bella Swan, Emmett Cullen/Rosalie Hale
Series: From Dusk Till Dawn [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2010493
Comments: 7
Kudos: 36





	To Lose You

**Author's Note:**

> I was in the middle of writing porn, then my brain did a flip and I ended up writing this shitload of a drama. Idk guys, I might be unable of writing happy stuff?  
> Also, I know that vampire wounds heal quickly and all, but wheres the drama in that........  
> This one is LONG and not my favorite, but I figured that if I wasted time on writing it, I might as well publish it. I have that longly delayed porn next in the publishing queue as an "I'm sorry" gift.  
> 

Rosalie felt furious. How can one small human make such a mess?

The atmosphere in the Cullen house was tense, with everyone nervous about facing the newest problem - James wanting to kill Bella. The poor girl was standing between Edward and Carlisle, clinging onto her boyfriend with startled eyes. She looked like a terrified doe, but Rosalie couldn't feel sorry for her. If it wasn't for her, if Edward hadn't brought her to the game, they would still be playing peacefully, and Rosalie's team was winning. Why was she at the game, anyway? It's not like a human could play against them, or with them.

Rosalie let out an ironic chuckle and kept her arms crossed on her chest. She felt Emmett's piercing eyes on her, but she didn't turn her head to face him. They had a bit different viewings of the whole situation. She knew he couldn't wait to fight. Not to kill, Emmett wasn't barbaric like that, but to fight. He loved a good match every now and then and was absolutely sure they'd have no problem with destroying James. It was fun for him. It definitely wasn't so for Rosalie.

She wasn't worried about the wellness of the family - James and his mate had no chance against the seven of them, especially with Alice's visions and Edward's mind-reading gift, - but she was bored and annoyed. Edward had been getting on her nerves since always, but lately, he became unbearable, jeopardizing everything they had for that plain human. Rosalie glanced at Bella once more, looking for anything extraordinary in her again, trying to understand what it was her who finally moved Edward, but she had no idea. The human she was looking at seemed terrified, small, not especially pretty and had absolutely nothing special about her. She was holding onto Edward's shoulder and sending everybody quick looks, didn't even make a sound.

Rosalie flittered her eyes over everyone in the family. Edward's expression was stone cold, with eyes focused and wary, but there was something about them that told Rosalie that he's scared. She'd never seen him terrified like that. He and Bella were standing next to Carlisle, whose wrinkled forehead showed how hard he's focusing. Emmett checked all their cars, making sure the tanks are full. Alice was whispering something to Jasper with a worried grimace, and Jasper, as usual, didn't let his emotions show on his face. Esme was the most distanced from them all, leaning on the wall a few steps from Rosalie, standing in the shadows as if she was hiding. She exchanged looks with her older daughter and they both sighed deeply. Esme didn't like being involved in arguments, always standing aside, only sometimes voicing where her mind stood, but the family was torn between supporting Edward and Bella and condemning their relationship, and Esme was torn with them. Of course, she wanted Edward's happiness, but she also wanted it for Carlisle, for Alice, for Emmett. The situation was very uncomfortable for her, both as their mother and as a vampire, whose thirst didn't let her forget for too long that her son's girlfriend was a human.

Bella moved nervously at Edward's side, and his gaze was locked onto Carlisle, as usually in a moment of sorrow. Edward always acted like he knew better than everyone, but at the end of the day, he always relied on Carlisle with making any decisions, and it pissed Rosalie off. Some of his burden he should carry alone. Rosalie didn't make everyone pay for her mistakes, but Edward did, and it seemed like he didn't even care. He took them for granted, Rosalie realized, and he wasn't wrong. Carlisle always trusted him without doubt, and Esme would rather drown than leave him without help. The way she loved him was overwhelming and special, something Rosalie envied sometimes. Of course, Esme loved each of her children very much, but Rosalie knew that Edward was always the favorite one, though she didn't know, why. Maybe because he was her first and youngest, and best resembled the child she'd once lost.

"Rosalie?" Alice's voice took her out of her thoughts. Rosalie looked around, a little confused, but with her arms still crossed at her chest. She looked indifferent to the threat on Bellas's life.

"Yes?"

"Would you do it?"

"Do what?" Rosalie asked - she truly didn't know, but Edward let out a growl of irritation. She looked at him with her gaze hostile and eyebrows knit. He had no right to treat her like that, and she wouldn't let him. Emmett muzzled something at Edward in her defense, but he ignored it.

"I have to drive Bella away somewhere," Edward said, his voice sharp and tense. "I asked you if you could swap clothes with Bella and stay here to throw James off tracks, and watch over Charlie."

Rosalie raised her eyebrows in disbelief, her gaze jumping from her brother to Carlisle. 

"What?" she asked, not sure whether she should laugh or yell; she felt like screaming, though. She thought they would all stay together, track James, burn him, go on with their days. Nobody said anything about splitting up. Rosalie knew she fought well, and if James was, indeed, going to follow her, she would be able to defend herself; but she wouldn't be able to kill him. And what would happen next? She'd have to keep running until she led him to the rest of the family? That thought seemed irrational. Edward really asked her to take the pathetic role of bait.

"Let me get this straight, you want _me_ to risk my life for _her_?" she scoffed, and Bella seemed to cringe within herself, looking even smaller than before. "Are you kidding? Who is she to me?!"

"Rose-" Carlisle started with his calm voice, but Rosalie raised her hand to make him quiet. She saw how it surprised him and heard Esme hissing behind her.

"No, I will not fight lunatic vampires to protect a human," she kept on. She was stunning when anger took over her - topaz eyes sending bolts of lightning, thin eyebrows tensed into a straight line, lips pouted in annoyance. She was a goddess of war, and they all knew better than to make her angry. She didn't get upset with her family often, though. She had her conflicts with Carlisle sometimes, but the only one who could truly throw her off her tracks was Edward. "I am not crazy, and I'm not stupid. You want to jeopardize everything for a human, go on, but I'm out."

"Rosie, come on..." Emmett said softly and wanted to put a hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged him off.

"No. I'm not going to do that. That plan is plain stupid, and I don't owe her anything."

"Do it for Edward, then," Carlisle cut in calmly. "He's your brother."

"Doesn't act like one recently."

If the atmosphere was grave-like before, now it became so serious nobody wanted to speak first. Rosalie felt everyone's eyes on her, but she wasn't about to back off, she knew she's right. Esme sighed behind her again. Edward looked at Rosalie so intensively, if she was any less confident, she would break under the weight of his gaze, but she stood still, sending him back stare just as serious. Finally, Edward broke the connection. He didn't have the strength, nor the time to keep fighting. Instead, his eyes flittered towards Esme, still hidden in shadows.

"Will you do it?" he asked, and Rosalie felt new waves of rage burning in her chest. She couldn't believe what he said, and Carlisle's body became all rigid, too. He looked at his wife, his forehead frowned and face even paler than before.

"No!" Rosalie cried out. "Have you completely lost your mind?!"

Esme stood quiet, her amber eyes jumping from one vampire to another, but she already knew what she was going to do. It was her duty as a friend and as a mother to help them whenever they needed, and besides, that quest wasn't even going to be dangerous. She just had to run around in Bella's clothes, maybe mark some trees. Nobody knew if James would even catch the bait, and she felt skeptical - he wasn't stupid. But, if it made Edward feel more at ease, she was going to do it anyway.

"Of course I'll do it," Esme said, coming forward and taking Rosalie's hand to calm her down a bit, but Rosalie was still looking and everybody furiously. "No problem."

"Well, there is a slight problem," Rosalie hissed. "you are _not_ sending Esme alone to do this sick mission of yours! What if something happens to her?"

She suddenly felt calmness taking over her and gazed at Jasper. "Stop it!"

The waves of positive feelings left her immediately and all she felt again was rage, growing big in her chest, so hot it felt like it was burning holes there. Was she really the only one who saw how stupid that idea was?

"You didn't want to help, and Esme does," Edward hissed at her as if it was her fault. This whole situation was nobody's fault but his, she wouldn't let him a guilt trip her or anybody else.

"So you're sending mom instead? As a bait?!" she yelled again and felt venom filling up her mouth. Everybody froze at the last word. Rosalie turned towards her patriarch in a desperate attempt to stop this. 

"Carlisle!"

"I hate this idea if I'm honest," he nodded and walked over to Esme. They exchanged a very private look; it told them more than any words spoken out. "I trust you, love, but it's dangerous. I don't want you to go alone."

"You were fine with sending Rose out there," Esme rolled her eyes. She knew what they all thought. They couldn't imagine her fighting. She was the most peaceful of them all, the most lovely, the calmest, and while being very fast and fierce, she really couldn't fight. She was aware of that, but it wasn't going to stop her. "Nothing bad will happen, and I think it will all be over within hours." 

"Thank you, Esme," Edward said to her and Esme just nodded, taking Bella's hand. They were supposed to go upstairs and swap clothes. Esme was smiling gently at Bella, reassuring her that it's alright, that she doesn't have to worry, but Rosalie couldn't bear it. Esme was so compassionate, she tried to make Bella feel like everything will be alright even now when she was about to risk her life for her. Rosalie felt a nervous pressure down her stomach. Of course, she knew the chances of anything happening to their mother were small - but not non-existent, and if she got hurt, or worse, Rosalie would rip Edward apart. She cleared her throat and everybody looked at her again.

"Wait," Rosalie said with her voice still angry and caught Esme's hand. "I'm going with you." 

_But it's not for you, or the stray. If anything happens to Esme, I will kill you._

She knew Edward heard her thoughts when he nodded at her, but there was gratitude in his eyes. He didn't feel good sending Esme alone out there, either.

Esme looked at Rosalie and shook her head a little. "You don't have to come, darling, I'll be fine."

"I won't risk it," Rosalie hissed, walking upstairs and not even bothering with turning back to see if they're following her. She heard Esme gracefully taking the steps behind her and Bella gasping loudly for air. Esme was walking at human speed to make Bella feel more normal, but Rosalie didn't bother. She entered Carlisle and Esme's bedroom before they did, and sat on the bed. Rosalie took a look over her parents' bedroom as she waited. Everything was in perfect order there, mirroring Esme's whole personality. Fresh flowers on the bedstands, heavy, velvet curtains in the windows, Esme's blueprints, and Carlisle's documents put in folders and placed alphabetically on the bookshelf. Even the comforter on their bed was as smooth as if it was ironed. Rosalie always adored how neat Esme was. Hers and Emmett's room was always a mess, but Esme was the cleanest person in their house, and their bedroom reflected that perfectly.

Rosalie was deep in her thoughts when Esme entered with Bella. She looked amusingly ordinary with them, like a forget-me-not among blooming roses. She was clinging onto Esme. Rosalie knew Bella felt intimidated by her, and Esme had already welcomed her to the family, so it was only natural she would feel safer by her side. Rosalie scoffed - Esme was probably rapturous that Bella trusted her so much.

Bella sent an embarrassed look in Rosalie's direction and started taking off her jacket and shirt. Esme caught her startled eyes and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be scared, sweetie, we'll all be fine," she said, then turned around to the wardrobe to fetch new clothes for her. Rosalie respectfully turned the look from Bella, too. She didn't like the human, but she knew how Bella must feel around them - like an ugly duckling. Her female instinct told her to give her some privacy.

Esme hummed quietly while digging in her drawers. Rosalie focused her look on her. Her best friend didn't look worried or frightened at all, her hair already pulled up in a tight pony. Rosalie wondered if that's only an act, or if she really felt easy about their upcoming mission. She spent a few solid minutes searching for something for Bella to wear, and it made Rosalie chuckle - Esme's style was very formal, if not a bit outdated, and Rosalie felt amused imagining what would she pull from the pile of clothes. Luckily, Esme threw a pair of jeans and a black shirt onto the bed. Bella was already in her underwear, her clothes thrown carelessly at the swivel chair.

Esme started undressing, too. In the blink of an eye, she took off her baseball outfit and put on Bella's clothes, a bit too tight for her voluptuous silhouette, but she didn't complain. Bella, on the other hand, looked anxious - she glanced at Esme's long legs and cringed, reaching for the jeans.

"I'm not sure they'll fit..." she muttered, and Rosalie had to admit she was right - she looked as if she stole clothes from her mother.

"We'll make it work," Esme said, throwing on Bella's shirt and smiling at her compassionately.

They looked comical when they swapped. Rosalie had never seen Esme dressed that carelessly. Bella's trousers were too short for her, and her full cleavage popped out of a shirt that was too small. Esme noticed it and zipped up the jacket. She didn't want to complain, but every few seconds her face was turned in a terrible grimace. Rosalie chuckled but felt sorry for her. The scent of Bella's clothes was irritating her, and she was distanced. Wearing it had to be almost unbearable, but Esme was strong and didn't let them know how uncomfortable she felt.

"I'm really sorry," Bella's voice was quiet and shaky, her hands trembling and eyes cast to the floor. Esme shook her head. "I don't want you to fight for me or get hurt. I told Edward not to get you involved, but he insisted."

"Oh, no, no, what's with the guilt?" Esme cuddled Bella tight, and Bella placed her head on the crook of Esme's neck - Esme's hug felt so safe and warm, even though her skin was stone cold, and for a second it made Bella forget she was in danger. It was like a hug from her own mother, except Renee rarely hugged her with such love. "You're with Edward, so you're family now. And we protect our own. You think we would be able to look Edward in the eyes if anything happened to you?"

Bella's tears fell onto Esme's jacket, but she quickly wiped it with the back of her hand. For the first time, Rosalie felt pity towards her.

"I just- I don't deserve all this."

"Would you stop it already," Esme chided her softly, but then smiled and tucked a strain of hair behind her ear. "Our family is strong, Bella. Nothing bad will happen to us. And if you ask Emmett, he might thank you for the rush. This is the most interesting thing that happened to us in this decade."

Her words fulfilled the purpose - Bella laughed timidly and wiped the tears from her cheeks again.

They ran back to the garage, where the rest of the family was. Alice and Jasper were busy packing baggage to the trunk of Alice's car, Edward and Carlisle discussed something quietly. Rosalie took her place by Emmett's side and he put hands on her shoulders.

"You okay?" he asked. He didn't truly understand why Rosalie hated Bella so much - Esme was the only one who got it - but he tried to be compassionate and respectful. It was Rosalie's fault, anyway, that he didn't know. She felt stupid just thinking about telling him that she's envious of someone as insignificant as Bella.

"Yes, fine."

Edward cleared his throat. "Alice and Jasper will take Bella away for a while. I, Carlisle, and Emmett are going to hunt for James locally, around Forks, Port Angeles, and Seattle. Rosalie and Esme will try to throw him off Bella's tracks and look over Charlie. Everything clear?"

They all just nodded. Bella jumped into Alice's car, and Edward stroked her face goodbye before they left the garage. He was so physically worried the rest could almost feel the nervous vibes around him, and there was no Jasper anymore to calm him down.

It was time to split up. Rosalie kissed Emmett warmly, feeling his strong hands on the small of her back, a kiss way too intimate for everyone to see, but they never cared about that. Esme walked over to Carlisle and wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug, but it wasn't a sad gesture, a last one - it was a promise to meet again in a while. Esme placed her head on Carlisle's chest and he cuddled her to himself, smiling softly as he placed a kiss onto her head.

"Please, no matter what this turns into, be careful," he whispered into her ear, and she nodded, stroking his face with the back of her hand. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Esme said back and bit her lip. "We'll be in contact, right?" she asked, holding up a small silver phone.

"Call me whenever," Carlisle let go of her, but with a loud sigh. He didn't like splitting up with her. Out of every couple in the house, they were the most inseparable, and it was usually Carlisle who always kept close to her, either with his gestures or just keeping a close distance. He was overprotective, and he realized it, but Esme was the gentlest one around and he just felt calmer when they were together. The situation was very uncomfortable for him, and he wished to quickly get over with hunting James and come back home with his family.

Finally, Rosalie took Esme's hand and they both left the house, but Rosalie made sure to sent Edward one last farewell thought.

_You pray nothing bad happens to her. Carlisle wouldn't forgive you that, and I'd rip you apart._

* * *

"This is way more boring than I thought it'd be," Rosalie rolled her eyes as they ran side by side through the deep forest south from Forks. Esme stopped every few minutes and marked the trees; she'd embrace it with her arms and rub her back against it, and each time made Rosalie chuckle.

"You look like a lunatic."

"You have a better idea?" Esme asked with her voice amused and hugged another tree bole.

"No," Rosalie shrugged, but she wished she had a camera with her. "But it's not surprising. You've always liked plants a bit too much."

Esme laughed cheerfully, her loud voice cutting through the silence around them, and Rosalie smiled, too - Esme's laughter was contagious and left everybody around her laughing. But maybe that was just Esme in general. Her good mood always reflected on others, sometimes better than Jasper's mood control gift.

"I miss you joking like that," she said, her eyes flittering over to her daughter as they ran again. "You've been different for the past few weeks."

"I wonder why that is," Rosalie replied, her good ambiance lost in a second. "Maybe it's got something to do with the fact that Edward repeatedly tries to ruin our lives here. You can't tell me this situation is alright with you."

She didn't expect Esme to reply, but she did. Her voice soft and calm, as always, but she seemed older than she really was. When she rubbed her forehead and crinkled her nose, Rosalie saw the mother she was to them and the worry she'd been hiding. 

"I love Edward and I wish him well. But do I wish he fell in love with somebody who's not human?" she paused for a second. "Yes, yes I do. But we'll deal with whatever happens. I just want him to be happy."

They kept running in silence for a few minutes before Esme spoke again.

"You're being unfair, Rosalie. He didn't say anything when you brought Emmett home."

"Oh, but I would keep quiet if he intended to turn her!" Rose said loudly, her voice harsh again. "You know it won't end well. That dull imbecile wants to do what with her, exactly? Wait for her to die so he can kill himself then?"

Esme didn't reply to that, she just sighed softly, and something about her face told Rosalie that she's tired. Tired of hearing about this, tired of thinking about it, and Rosalie kept quiet, with no intention of making her even more miserable. She already felt she crossed a line, and Esme's eyes cast to the ground. She tried her best not to think about what happens next. Losing Edward would break her - that thought seemed unbearable.

Esme stopped to mark the tree again, and Rosalie just kept a wary look over the trees, searching for any threats, but the woods were quiet and calm. When Esme's phone rang, it almost startled her, but she was glad. Her last words seemed to hang in the air, and when Esme looked at the text, her tense body loosened up a little.

"It's Carlisle," Esme said before her daughter even asked, a smile forming in the edges of her lips, and it made Rose chuckle. Even the slightest mention of her husband always made Esme smile. Rosalie admired the kind of love Esme and Carlisle had, a love so steady and strong after ninety years together as if not a year had passed since they fell for each other. Carlisle always looked at her with those adoring eyes of first love, as if he couldn't believe she was his and loved him just as deeply. It would always be that way for them.

"He's just asking if we're alright."

"Come on, call him," Rosalie encouraged her with her voice dull - this mission was so utterly boring. She straightened her hand out. "Give me Bella's jacket, it's my turn to be a hippie and hug trees for a while. You go and talk."

Esme smiled at her and dialed her husband's number, while Rosalie ran a few feet before her in Bella's rain jacket. Carlisle picked up after a second like he was waiting for her to call.

"Hey," she said and he smiled on the other side. Emmett yelled something at him, but he ignored it and kept his attention on his wife.

"How is everything going, love?"

"Oh, it's just endearing," she joked. Hearing his voice made her grin. Sometimes she truly felt like they were just kids in love, not able to keep a day without each other, and it made her both embarrassed and warm inside. "Marking trees is just so fascinating, I'm sorry you have to miss it."

He laughed. "I'm glad, then. We haven't found James yet, but Emmett picked up his scent a few times already. He's close, so please, be careful. We'll go on with it and be home in the blink of an eye."

"I sure hope so," Esme replied and lowered her voice a bit. "Do you think after this we could take a few days off on the isle? I could really use it, I'm worn out."

Just the thought of warm water hitting the shore, dry sand between her toes, and the smell of tropical plants made her feel way better, more relaxed. There was no place on the world she felt better with than with Carlisle in their private Brasilian paradise. 

"Are you alright?" Carlisle asked with his voice alarmed a bit.

"Yes, yes, but everything is just really tiring," she smiled sadly and sighed. "A week just with you on our island would do me good. You think you can take a few days off in the hospital?"

"They could try to stop me," he joked, and she felt waves of joy hitting her body. She'd give much to lay down with him on their bed and just relax, forget for a second about the mess around them.

Rosalie and Esme spend another two hours running. If they were human, their legs wouldn't be able to take anymore. Rosalie expressed her boredom rather loudly, while Esme just did what she was supposed to, but her gaze was getting more and more annoyed. Neither Carlisle nor Emmett had called them again for those last two hours, and Esme was getting a bit anxious - she felt it in Rosalie, too. They were both positive that the rest of the family is alright. Emmett was the strongest one they had and Edward fought greatly, too. Carlisle despised violence, but he was deadly when needed to be. Esme knew that but was worried nonetheless.

After such time, they got a bit confused as to where they were. Of course, they couldn't get lost - extra smell always picked up the scent of people or animals of human food, and their ears located the nearest road and cars with no problem, but Esme speculated they just did an enormous, full circle, and she thought it was time to go home.

"Do you think he'll change her eventually?" Rosalie asked out of the blue when they gave up the tree marking and froze for a second because Esme wanted to type a message to Carlisle. Her tired eyes drifted towards Rosalie, and she let out a deep sigh through her nose.

"I don't know," Esme replied. She'd discussed this subject with Carlisle before. He was sure Edward won't break his beliefs, but Esme wasn't so positive about that. Edward was incredibly stubborn and rarely changed his mind, but she had a feeling that Bella would become one of them sooner or later. "I don't think Edward will do it, but there's something about Alice's vision that makes me believe Bella will be changed."

"It's just so bizarre to me," Rosalie shrugged, sprinting beside Esme again. "You know what I think about all this, how opposed to the idea I am."

"Yes," Esme nodded. She was the only one with whom Rosalie was absolutely honest about everything. Only she knew the real reasoning behind Rosalie hating Bella so much, and she wasn't about to admonish Rose for being bitter about it. Esme understood her jealousy. "But?"

"But it's so odd that he would rather see her dead than a vampire. I can't understand the way Edward thinks, I never could, but this is just incomprehensible," Rosalie looked over her shoulder at Esme and saw her nod. "I wouldn't wish this fate upon anyone, but... if you were in their position, wouldn't you change Carlisle to be like you? To protect him?"

Esme had a response ready. She'd been thinking about that for the past few weeks, wondering what she'd do, but to her the answer was simple. 

"I would be selfish. If the cards were reversed, and he asked me, I wouldn't be able to resist turning him. I can't imagine the suffering of watching him slowly drift away, year after year," she took a deep breath and smiled sadly. "In some ways, I envy Edward the persistence. But Edward and I don't look at things the same way. He believes we don't have souls, and I don't."

"Carlisle does, too, doesn't he?"

"No, not entirely," Esme said. "He, too, seems to believe we're eternally condemned, but he still hopes we're not. The soul part is all Edward." 

The sky became pitch black and the world around them even quieter. Both Esme and Rosalie's guards were down - bored with the long run, they didn't speak much to each other, Rosalie just heard her mother grunt every now and then because Bella's clothes still irritated her smell. Esme was running a few feet after Rosalie at a pace most comfortable to her, but close enough to see each other well through the darkness.

Rosalie's phone called loudly, startling them both. She picked it up to hear Alice's heated voice.

"Is Esme there with you?!"

"Nice to hear you, too," Rosalie rolled her eyes - typical Alice, too quick for her own good.

"Is she with you?" Alice's voice was tremulous, impatient, and Rosalie frowned. She knew her sister well, and the tone of her speaking told Rosalie that she must have seen something.

"What did you see?"

"James attacking you," Alice said incredibly fast, and Rosalie felt a shiver down her spine. "It's uncertain, I'd say about 60% chances, but still, be careful, don't let Esme out of your sight. I hope it's a false alarm, but I'm not so sure. He knows we're trying to fool him."

"We're just going to head home," Rosalie answered - Edward won't be glad they aborted their mission, but she did not care. If there was even a slight chance of any issues, Rosalie's priorities were simple. She then turned to her mother, having hung up on with Alice. "Esme, I think we should-"

Esme looked at her daughter anxiously. She heard what they were talking about and out of reflex came a bit closer to Rosalie, feeling safer by her side.

She heard the loud bang before she felt the hit. A sound so loud and dire, it resembled thunder. Something very heavy collided with her and she felt as if the heavens all fell onto her in one moment, her body hit the ground so suddenly she couldn't draw a breath for a solid second. She didn't even get to scream out, as the attack came from nowhere. Esme wasn't trained to react to assaults the way Jasper did, and after a hundred years with her family, she didn't expect violence to wait around the corner, so she's completely unprepared and the body of another vampire easily swept her off her feet.

"Esme!"

Rosalie's cries cut the silence, and Esme cringed beneath a larger body, easily three times stronger and heavier than she was. She wanted to scream, but the foreigner's fingers clenched on her neck, his long, dirty nails digging so firmly into her skin, she heard a familiar crackling. In moments like this, she wished she was ever trained how to fight. She wished she'd ever participated in the kid's quarrels, not only looked from a safe distance.

Her fingers scratched his face deeply and she felt venom filling her mouth, but couldn't do anything - James had his leg on her other hand, preventing her from moving too much, and his grip on her neck tightened. It was so strong, she stopped breathing altogether; if she was human, he'd strangle her.

Rosalie watched her mother being attacked with a mix of fear and absolute anger, and as soon as James focused on Esme, she jumped onto him and tried to get him off her. Her fingers clenched onto his neck as she managed to throw her legs onto his shoulders - she tried to rip his head off, but wasn't quick enough. James threw her onto a tree with one quick move. Rosalie flew like a wooden doll and hit the pine with a loud bang, with only a quick gasp of surprise escaping her lips. Esme whined at that, her every instinct telling her to defend her daughter, but James remained unmoved, Rosalie's attack didn't even make him flinch.

Esme then realized they'd underestimated him, and she felt fear running down her spine. He wanted to cause pain to others, there was no denying now. Even if he was going to kill her, he would make it slow, and take Rosalie down, too.

"I was curious who they'd choose for this stupid task. I must say, I am surprised they sent you two. I knew you'd try, but this is just pathetic," James muttered, and with one quick gesture pulled Esme into a standing position, still keeping his claws on her neck. Rosalie growled again and was ready to attack for the second time, but he looked at her amusingly. "I wouldn't do that, not unless you want to see me rip her head off. It's just one quick move..."

Esme was so stressed her whole body started trembling. She was sending Rosalie gazes, begging her not to do anything stupid, but her throat was clenched and she could just watch the scene with fear in her eyes. She had no chances of breaking free, but Rosalie did. At that moment, Esme wished more than anything for Rose to run and save her life.

That thought hadn't crossed Rosalie's mind even for one second. Seeing Esme in such danger unblocked something in her, a new dose of anger and desperation, and she took a fighting position, with her legs ready to jump and hands aching for a hit.

"I couldn't quite understand the dynamics between all of you when we met," James admitted and shrugged. He looked wild. His gaze was heavy and ecstatic, his clothes had tears in them, and blood on his shirt made Esme shiver. It was quite fresh, she could smell it, it burned her throat. "But I think I do now," he was speaking to Esme, and it made Rosalie so wrathful her mouth filled with venom. Every inch of her body, every muscle screamed at her to attack, but she used all her strength to keep still.

"You're really not a fighter, aren't you? You're a shy little thing. You kept aside through our... quarrel at the meadow," he said, and she whined again. James digging his nails so deeply into her neck hurt like hell and brought out memories she had buried deep.

"And you," he turned to Rosalie. "Aren't you just beautiful? You were the only one who wasn't ready to fight us there on the spot. You don't care about the human, do you?"

"Congratulations," Rosalie hissed, her hands squeezed hardly into tight fists. "You've figured it out. Now let her go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," James shrugged again, and Rosalie watched Esme cringe beneath his touch. He brought her to her knees. She looked vulnerable like never before, her hands still gripped onto his, but she didn't have the strength to loosen up his fingers tightened onto her neck. Rosalie wanted more than anything to help her, to set her free, but she wasn't stupid. One move and James would rip Esme's head off.

"What would be a waste. You see, I need to send a message to your little coven," James' voice was nonchalant and listless, but there was something about it that told Rosalie how eager he was to kill, and it made her feel sick. "And what message would be better than killing one of your own? I can't think of anything greater!"

Rosalie glared at Esme. Her face winced in pain and her eyes seemed empty, not even terrified anymore, just empty. With fright, Rosalie realized that Esme was sure she was going to die that night. Just the thought of that made Rosalie shiver, she felt her hands trembling with fear for her friend.

At that moment, Rosalie's phone rang. All three of them looked surprised with that, James raised his eyebrows and Rose wasn't sure what she should do. She didn't want to make unnecessary movements, but if it was Emmett or Carlisle, her not answering would tell them that something was off.

Oh, how she wished Carlisle was there with them. He would know what to do, Rose was sure of that. She looked at Esme, searching for any kind of guidance, but her mother was just as helpless as she was. Esme didn't make the smallest movement. Rosalie so desperately wanted her to nod, to do something that would tell her what she should do, but Esme didn't even blink.

"Come on, answer it. Just be clever," James said indifferently. Rosalie then took the phone up and did what she was told. That whole scene seemed grotesque. Esme was still down on her knees, begging for her life, and Rosalie was supposed to talk on the phone as if nothing happened. It was staggering, yet she put the phone on speaker.

"Yes?" she said when she answered, and Carlisle's voice resounded on the other side. He seemed slightly annoyed and started talking without a welcome.

"Why isn't Esme answering?" he asked, but Rosalie didn't pay much attention to his words - her gaze was locked on Esme and James, scared that James would use her focusing on Carlisle and hurt Esme in the meantime. Her mother's face twitched when she heard Carlisle's voice, eyes got even more desperate than before.

"Her phone died, probably, I don't know," Rosalie replied, trying to keep her voice steady and with the usual dose of irony, but it didn't sound natural at all. "We didn't even notice. Tree marking is just so fascinating."

"Hand her the phone, Rose, please."

Rosalie let out a quick gasp, and it didn't get away Carlisle's attention.

"There's something wrong, isn't it?" he asked, and Emmett yelled something incomprehensible at him.

Rosalie focused on her husband's voice for a second, and that moment of distraction was enough for James. With the corner of her eye, Rosalie noticed James bending over Esme, but it was already too late for her to react. And then he bit her - even though Esme's throat was still clutched with his tight grasp, she let out a scream of pain, and her body became rigid with venom. Rosalie froze at Esme's desperate cries, feeling panic slowly overtaking her body. James' cruelty was something she'd never seen before - it was unnecessary of him to bite her, he didn't need to defend himself. Only the most savage vampires bit others. It was pointless but brought much suffering. Rosalie realized then that he simply enjoyed causing pain. Out of shock and helplessness, Rosalie wept into the telephone, wishing for her father to be here and save them. A series of wretched gasps left her throat and she could only imagine how terrified Carlisle was on the other end of the call.

Esme looked exhausted from constant pain. She begged James to stop a few more times, but he only grasped her tighter. Her only thought was Carlisle. Esme saw his face under her eyelids when she squeezed her eyes, heard his voice when she winced from the pain. She realized she might never see him again, and dry weeps escaped her lips before she could stop herself. She wanted, more than anything, to tell him that she loved him so much. At that moment, it seemed like the most important thing.

James kept his gaze locked at Rosalie and smiled at her with such irony, it made Rose want to tear him apart right that second.

"Rosalie!" Carlisle's distressed yell brought her back to reality. She put her next words together very carefully.

"James is here with us," she said. "I can't tell you anything more, but we're somewhere near the Quileute territory. Carlisle, please."

Then she hung up. She could already feel how angry Carlisle was with her for ending the phone call like this, but she said what she could, and only hoped that the rest of the family would find them in time. She exchanged looks with Esme again. Seeing her matriarch in this situation was heart-wrenching, and completely terrifying. Rosalie had never seen Esme looking this small.

"Counting on your family to help you?" James scoffed. "By the time they come, I'll be long gone. Maybe I'll take this one with me," he pressed his finger on Esme's neck, on the bite he just made. Esme squirmed with pain, and Rosalie growled, she couldn't take it anymore. Her brain desperately thought of any way to get out of this situation.

"Let her go and I'll tell you where the human is!" She snarled, risking and taking a step closer to them, but James didn't even flinch. She saw how he's debating over it. She had no idea where Alice took Bella, but even if James won't fall for it, maybe at least she'd buy some time for the rest of them to get here. "I swear I'll tell you. If you kill her, you die. If you run now, you might live and get to fulfill your aim. Just let her go."

"How can I trust you won't lie?" James had his eyebrows risen - it was all still a game for him. Rosalie felt this much hate towards somebody only once before, just before she killed Royce.

"I don't care about Bella," she replied, trying to sound nonchalant. "You said yourself, I was indifferent to you wanting to kill her on that meadow. I won't lie," she looked at Esme. "Her life is far more important than the human. I beg you, let her go and I'll make your hunt easier."

James seemed to think about his choices. He could stay, kill them both and fly, but then the rest of that damn family would probably hunt him and rip him apart. He had Victoria on tracks of the other part of their coven, but he couldn't be sure she wasn't dead and burned by then, and he didn't stand a chance against five vampires alone. Judging by their encounter back on the meadow, they were strong and coordinated, and that one bulky guy made James feel uneasy. The blondie told the other one where they were, so they would probably get here sooner or later and hunt him down. They'd ruin all the fun for him.

The choice was easy. He nodded at Rosalie, who cleared her throat a bit. She prayed he wouldn't sense her lie.

"Bella's in Vanvouver with the two of us," she said, her voice still trembling, but it only made her more reliable. "They left by car a few hours ago."

Rosalie held her breath as James smiled at that information. She still wasn't sure if he wouldn't break the promise and crack Esme's skull out of a disgusting urge to hurt, but apparently, continuing his hunt in peace was more important to him. Rosalie was only able to breathe again when James carelessly tossed Esme onto the ground and disappeared between the trees. In the blink of an eye, it was like he never was here. 

Rosalie quickly kneeled next to Esme and helped her sit up, and wept loudly at how miserably her mother looked. Esme had sticks and leaves in her hair, soft skin on her cheek was cracked, and the bite on her neck reeked of foreign venom. Rosalie wanted to hug her, but she wasn't sure how to do it and not cause her any more pain. She placed her hand on Esme's back and rubbed gently, trying not to focus on the cracked skin of her neck.

"It's alright now, he's gone," she whispered softly and tucked Esme's hair behind her ear. She knew the look Esme had on her face - absolute fear and despair, disbelief that it really had just happened. Rose placed a kiss on her forehead in a desperate attempt to make her feel safe again.

"I'm so sorry, Esme."

Esme looked at her with her big eyes, and only then seemed to be brought back to reality. A loud gasp escaped her lips and she covered her mouth with her hand as if she only then truly realized what happened, she cast her eyes onto the muddy grass and dig the ground with her fingers. Rosalie attempted to hug her, but when she embraced her, Esme's body twitched, and for a second she looked scared of her friend. Rosalie let out a quick sob and moved away from her - she didn't want to cause her any more fear, but at the same time, she felt that leaving Esme alone was almost cruel.

"Esme? Are you okay?"

She nodded, but her gaze was still glued onto the ground.

Rosalie wasn't sure what to do with her, so she took a phone out and chose Carlisle's number again. She sometimes hated how dependent they all were on him, but at the same time, she knew nobody could take care of Esme better.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Carlisle burst out at her as soon as he answered. Rosalie was ready for his anger - it was justified, and if the cards were reversed and he hung up on her like that, she would dig his eyes out. She only once saw Carlisle truly mad, and he was terrifying. As odd as it was, Rosalie really saw the leader in him for the first time then, and now, yelling at her through the phone, she felt it again. It was a known feeling, like a father reprimanding his child, and she felt smaller under his reproaches. When she heard his voice, a known feeling of safety fell on her, and she couldn't help a relieved gasp. "What's happening?"

"We're alright, he's gone," Rosalie answered. "We're alright. We're somewhere by the border of the Quileute reserve, we're waiting for you."

"Thank God, we were so worried," Carlisle sighed. His voice immediately became less sharp, more like the Carlisle he always was. "And Esme?"

"She's hurt," Rosalie replied, squeezing her mother's hand on the ground. Her brevity certainly didn't ease Carlisle's nerves, but he kept quiet, just glad to hear her voice. "But-"

"But what?"

"I think you should hurry," she admitted quietly. "She's really shaken."

Carlisle went silent for a second.

"And you?" he asked finally, his voice softened out a little. She knew Esme always came first to him, but he worried about all of them. She shrugged.

"I'm really fine, not even a scratch. Just hurry here, please."

Rosalie ended the call and sat by her mother. Esme leaned onto her chest, and Rosalie embraced her close, but not too tight - she didn't want to irritate her skin even more. She started picking out leaves from her hair with the other hand.

"How do you feel?" she asked gently. Esme was the only one who got to see the softest side of Rosalie. There was a very strong bond between the two women, not only because of the nature of their family relationship but also because they simply understood each other well, sometimes better than anyone. "I was so worried about you."

"I think I'm fine," Esme whispered, but her voice was still a bit shaky. She flinched every time Rosalie touched her hair, and her gaze was unfocused, flittering over the woods as if she expected another attack to come. Rosalie noticed that and winced a bit, realizing how terrified Esme still was.

"Hey, he's gone now," she whispered soothingly and ran fingers through her mother's hair. "He's gone, and he won't be back anytime soon. Carlisle and Emmett are coming, too."

She kept steadily caressing Esme's head to keep her calm, but Esme let out a loud groan out of the blue and it threw Rosalie off tracks.

"What?" she asked, alarmed, and Esme started taking off her shirt.

"I can't keep wearing Bella's clothes, I just can't," she finally gave in, her fingers carefully folding Bella's shirt and placing it on the ground. She did the same with her trousers. Her moves were very slow and wary, but she irritated her wounds anyway. She was then sitting on the grass only in white panties and black bra. If she looked vulnerable before, her trembling on the cold ground half-naked was like a cherry on top.

Rosalie took a look at her before taking off Bella's jacket and laying it on the pile of clothes. She noticed Esme's bra was very seductive, the kind of undergarment one would wear to persuade someone. It made her breast pop out in the most tempting way, and Rosalie flinched a bit - she wasn't prepared at all what had just happened. Maybe she wore it because she was counting on seducing Carlisle after the game, or maybe she just wanted to feel good about herself, anyhow, it certainly wasn't fit for fighting with a vampire.

"I'm sorry for what happened," Rosalie whispered at her and felt dry weeps forming in her throat again. She let it out when Esme looked at her, with her golden eyes full of sadness. "I'm so sorry I couldn't help you, I thought I'm stronger, but when he threw me onto that tree... I felt hopeless, truly hopeless, for the first time in years. I wanted to protect you, that's why I came with you, and I couldn't even do that!"

Esme was just looking at her still, legs drawn to her chest. It was breaking Rosalie's heart, to see her so unsettled.

"I don't hate Bella," Rosalie kept on, her voice still full of emotions. "I know you all think I do, but I don't. Sure, I dislike her, but mostly I'm just worried. Nothing good will come out of this. I'm worried about my family."

She sobbed again, tearless weeps leaving her chest. Everything that happened was only hitting her now, the reality of losing Esme made her relive the horror again, and seeing her so weak, sitting beside Rosalie in her underwear didn't help. Esme raised her hand and stroked Rosalie's cheeks with her soft palms in a gesture so motherly, Rosalie felt even more guilty for not being able to help her better before.

"I thought I was going to lose you," Rosalie whispered and cast her eyes to the ground. "I'm so sorry."

"None of it is your fault, Rose," Esme replied, her voice just as timid. "I'm glad nothing happened to you. I'll be fine."

They sat like that for a few minutes, one trying to comfort the other, but with miserable results. Esme was still shaken, not able to comprehend the eventful day, aching to be home, safe and sound in her bed. Rosalie felt guilt pressing painfully onto her chest. Her stare was glued onto Esme, both apologetic and woeful, and Esme placed her head onto her shoulder, warmer by her side. Rosalie threw her arm around her. Esme was both her older sister, her mother, and a good friend, and to lose her would feel to Rosalie like losing a piece of herself.

Suddenly, Rosalie felt a well known scent and gasped out with relief. Carlisle and Emmett. It was all going to be better now.

* * *

Carlisle wished they'd never split up in the first place. He had a bad feeling about this from the beginning, but Rosalie's presence with Esme calmed his nerves down a bit - he knew how fierce she'd get when needed to. Yet, his worst worry came true, and now he was sprinting along with his sons through the black night.

"What did Rose tell you on the phone again?" Emmett asked for the third time. Hearing Carlisle confirm that his wife was alright made him feel better. Carlisle sighed but replied patiently.

"That nothing happened to her, she's not hurt."

"And Esme?" Emmett added but bit his lip when Carlisle kept quiet. He smiled reassuringly, more to himself than to the others. "Damn, Ma is strong. I'm sure she's fine."

Carlisle had been wondering about it ever since Rosalie called, and even when he tried to stop, intrusive thoughts just floated around in his head. Yes, Esme was strong, just as every other vampire - physically, she was almost unbreakable, but being a pacifist, she had no idea how to fight or defend herself, and it was precisely what terrified him so much. To be fair, it wasn't like any of them - besides Jasper - had any experience in fighting other vampires. They never had to kill one of them before, but Carlisle made a promise to himself that he'll teach Esme how to defend herself, and cursed that he never thought of it before. He was fearful about in what state he was going to find his daughter and wife, his hands started shivering, and so he hid them in his pockets. He didn't want to reflect his anxiety on Emmett and Edward. Rosalie's voice through the phone was shattered, and the cry she let out before still haunted his brain. If Rosalie was this shaken, something terrible had happened. Carlisle tried to think of the possibilities, but each terrified him more than the one before.

When he heard Esme scream in such pain and sorrow his legs stopped working, brain frozen on this heart-wrenching sound. It was like his worst nightmare coming true right on the other side of the call. His entire world shattered a bit just by the thought of losing her, the biggest source of love and joy in his timeless life, and his mind was taken over by fear so overwhelming it felt like an endless night. Listening to Esme's whines of pain through the phone, he was positive that's what hell is. Perhaps it's not the pain and suffering done to a person, but watching one's loved ones tortured and being able to do nothing about it. Esme screaming in torment was his personal hell and would haunt him for days to come, he was sure of it.

In his mind, he already saw Esme in pieces, and he felt venom filling up his mouth. Emmett winced when he smelled it but didn't say anything.

"Stop," Edward growled at his father. Years of listening to Carlisle's insights taught him how paranoid Carlisle could get sometimes, and he was always on guard to keep his thoughts grounded. "You're overthinking again."

Edward was right, but it was easier said than done.

"Don't worry, they have to be fine," Emmett said to him reassuringly. "Rose wouldn't lie to you about it."

They ran along the border to the Quileute territory. Carlisle knew they shouldn't be there, it was dangerously close to breaking the treaty, but he simply did not care about anything other than finally being with Esme, even if it meant repercussions with which he'd have to deal later.

They found Esme and Rosalie on a little meadow in the woods, surrounded by darkness so dense even their vampire eyes took longer than usual to adjust. Rosalie jumped onto Emmett almost immediately and wrapped her legs around his waist - he held her tightly and caressed her hair, trying to calm her down a bit. He didn't know what happened yet, but Rosalie was trembling, and he just wanted to hug her and not let go.

"Carlisle?" Esme's quiet voice rang out, and it terrified him how weakly she sounded.

Carlisle let out a quiet gasp when he finally saw his wife; she looked like she'd been through hell. Sitting on the cold grass only in her underwear, her knees drawn to her chest, she reached her trembling hand out to him and Carlisle kneeled by her. She stared at him, and there was so much relief on her face it made his heart hurt. She trusted him so much, and yet he let her suffer. Carlisle flittered his eyes over her body, and only then saw all the cracks on her skin, crawling from her neck to her shoulders like an eery spider web. The bite on her neck, not far from where he had bitten her almost a century ago, reeked of foreign venom, and his jaw clenched involuntarily when he felt it, teeth gritted in fury to revenge his mate. Esme looked at him with confusion, and it made him calm down again - letting his instincts get the better of him didn't serve anybody.

"Did he touch you?" Carlisle asked the question he was most fearful of knowing the answer to. The repulsion in his voice was so strong he sounded almost rough - he was referring to the fact that she was almost naked, and he felt rage stronger than ever before. She just shook her head, and only then he realized he'd been anxiously holding his breath.

"He bit her," Rosalie said and all eyes cast at Esme.

Carlisle couldn't even imagine the kind of savage James must be to bit another vampire, let alone someone as small and harmless as his wife. He felt rage burning up his chest, but it wasn't time for revenge, but for taking care of her. He knew how much a vampire bite hurts, and their gazes joined again, hers sad and his full of pity.

"You're safe now, love," he whispered against the skin of her hands. She was still glazing at him with her jaw trembling, but she didn't seem to notice how badly her whole body was shaking. The shock would usually hit her after some time, and Carlisle knew she was going to relive the trauma again later. He reached to kiss her forehead and tucked strands of her hair behind her ears because it fell into her face and eyes. She flinched when felt his cold touch. "Can you stand up?"

"Yes," she answered, and held onto his arm to straighten up. She hated being coddled like that, like a victim, but Carlisle couldn't help being protective over her, especially in moments like that. It made them both feel safer.

She felt very uncomfortable only in her underwear, and although she saw their children respectfully casting their eyes away from her, she still pressed closer to Carlisle for safety. She kept her hands over her stomach, trying to cover what she could. She hated seeming weak in their children's eyes.

"Stop it, Esme, nobody here thinks you're weak," Edward spoke gently - he was always tender towards her, ever since Carlisle brought her home for the first time. She was the only one in the house he never raised his voice at. "We're a family. You don't have to be embarrassed."

She nodded, but Carlisle didn't like his wife so exposed, even only in the presence of their kids, so without words, he took off his jacket and gently placed it over her shoulders. Esme couldn't really feel cold, but the soft material on her skin made her warmer and safer. Carlisle's well-known smell was all over it, and she smiled softly. She put her arms through the sleeves, but her moves were almost automatic, and when she was done, her husband zipped the jacket up. It reached her thighs and made her feel slightly less exposed. She smiled at Carlisle without really any happiness, just a gesture to show him that she's thankful, and he placed a kiss onto her hair. His wife was so small by his side, there was no way he was going to let go of her anytime soon.

"Will somebody finally explain to me what happened here?" Emmett asked, holding Rosalie in an embrace, but he seemed shaken to see his mother hurt. His eyes cast from his wife to Esme and back again.

Rosalie exchanged a look with Esme and cleared her throat.

"He knew we were going to throw him off tracks," she replied with her voice croaky, holding onto Emmett's arms. "And Alice saw that, too, she called us. He attacked us all of a sudden, hurt Esme. It's all a game to him, Carlisle. He wanted to..."

"To kill me, to send a message to you," Esme finished and slip her hands under Carlisle's arms to be closer to him.

Her words seemed to hang in the air like a dense fog, and everybody was quiet and seemed to be thinking about the same thing; she could have been dead by now. Carlisle shivered at that thought and put a hand on the small of her back, at which she let out a quiet sigh. He wanted her close. The thought of her dying was stuck in his brain. He could have been a widower by now. All it would take was for James to put more pressure on her neck and flick a lighter onto her lifeless body. A long, cold shiver went down Carlisle's spine again. Esme told it in a very calm, quiet voice, which only made him more uneasy. He was so close to losing her today. The cracks on Esme's necks were severe and very deep and only reminded him of it. If James had pulled stronger-

"Carlisle," Edward hissed at him again, his voice sharp. He avoided Esme's gaze, keeping his eyes glued on his father, but the guilt he felt made him break the connection with Carlisle, too. He then turned to Rosalie. Her rage felt justified, and he knew there wouldn't be long until she explodes. "Where did he go?"

For a second, she looked like she was about to scream at him. She looked like all she wanted was to jump on him and dig his eyes out. He was the one responsible for all this, he and that stray of his, and Rosalie would make sure to remind him of it, but then she caught Esme's gaze and saw how tired her mother was. Rosalie was still mad, but she didn't want to make Esme more upset, so she just sighed and kept her anger inside. It was going to combust at Edward sooner or later, anyway.

"Say what you want to say," Edward encouraged her, but there was so much pain in his voice she actually hesitated for a second. "Go on, say it. You can't make me feel worse than I already do."

"I'd disagree." Rosalie sent him a long stare, but then pointed in a general direction. She was still trembling with anger, but a fight wouldn't do anybody any good. "There, but it was at least fifteen minutes ago, I don't know if you'll catch him."

"Emmett?" Edward looked at his big brother, and Emmett nodded willingly - after what he'd just heard, his desire to catch James grew twice as big. He looked at his wife.

"If that's alright with you, Rosie?"

"I'm going with you," she rolled her eyes, her usual dose of irony and stubbornness back in her voice. "I'm way too angry to sit at home and wait. It's not just about Bella anymore."

Edward and Emmett ran first, and before she joined them, she sent a warm smile in Esme's direction. When Esme blinked again, she was gone.

Carlisle and Esme were left alone in the woods. Only when the rest left them, she let out a loud gasp and wrapped her arms around him, ignoring the sore aching coming from her shoulders and neck. She only let herself be this vulnerable around him, and Carlisle stroked her cheek, the one without any wounds, and gently tilted her head to make her look him in the eye.

"Can we please go home?" she whispered, and without doubt, Carlisle took her up in his arms and ran home. They weren't far from Forks, and when Carlisle needed to, he could be as fast as Edward, so they reached their house within a few minutes. Esme couldn't remember the last time she was this ecstatic to see the well-known building.

Carlisle flung the doors open and gently sat her on the couch. He squatted in front of her with a concerned frown, then pressed a hand over her forehead, as if he wanted to check her temperature. She winced, surprised, and Carlisle laughed shortly when realized what he was doing. She followed quietly, and the sound of her fair laughter filled the air. The second of mirth didn't fit the situation at all, but Esme was thankful for it.

"It's a habit," he smirked, but then went serious again as he gently unzipped her jacket and slipped it off her. His cold fingers ran over the cracks along her shoulder and arm, and not without satisfaction he noticed that they already started healing. He then looked at the crack on her cheek. Although smaller, it was way deeper, and he bitterly thought that it was probably going to leave a scar over her perfect face. She would never get rid of that memoir of violence on her skin.

Esme was keeping a hand on his knee, and when he examined her cheek, she squeezed it suddenly and hissed, but kept still. He bent over and placed a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. She sat still, with her hand gripping his knee, patiently enduring him examining her body. He wanted to hug her until she felt secure again.

"Sorry, my love," he murmured. Out of long experience, he knew it was going to take a few hours for the wounds on her body to fade, then maybe a day for them to disappear. The one on the cheek would take longer, though, and leave a faint mark over her pale complexion, of that he was sure. She kept her gaze locked at him and sat still as his cold touch searched for any more spider webs on her body. Then, he looked at her neck.

The depth of cracks she had there made him feel nauseous. He placed a finger on her chin and tilted her head back the gentlest he could, and she whined quietly, but didn't even flinch. She had gotten so brave, he wasn't sure if he admired it or hated that she even had to.

The most important thing was that she was going to be fine in a few days, but the bite was what concerned him most. He was positive a scar would be left there, and it pained him deeply when he thought that it almost covered the mark he'd made her when he turned her. Esme was very sensitive about her neck, his lips or hands on it never failed to make her giggle, but Carlisle thought sadly that it will probably stop now. Maybe she'll start wearing turtlenecks or scarves to keep the bite hidden. The foreign vampire had ruined a sacred mark on her body, bit her on a place very private, a scar that always reminded her of her husband, and Carlisle felt anger all over again.

Esme, sitting motionlessly on the couch with her lower lip between her lips and her gaze absent, looked like a marble sculpture someone broke. Her beauty was still overwhelming, even the way she was sitting with her back straightened out suggested how much she tried not to appear weak, to keep her posture. Carlisle caressed her lips with his thumb.

"His venom will make it slower for it to heal," he spoke quietly and tenderly, as always to a patient. She just nodded. "But it will."

"It still hurts," she whispered back, and Carlisle stood up and placed a kiss over her head. She leaned onto him a bit, cuddling her head towards his abdomen.

"It will pass," he rested a hand on her head and caressed her hair. He waited for her to say something more, to really open up to him, but she just breathed sharply and kept her hand gritted on his shirt. He didn't want to push - they understood each other without words, anyway. He knew she needed support and peace, and that was precisely what he was going to give her. She finally looked at him with her hands still on his stomach.

"Can you- could you wash my hair?" Esme asked, and he eagerly nodded. Of course, that would do her good. There was still dirt and dust on her skin, and her curly hair was in desperate need of brushing. The bite on her neck needed to be cleaned, too. It looked nasty. "I'm sorry, I know you probably should go back to Edward and Emmett, but I just-"

"Of course I could," Carlisle interrupted her softly and kissed her forehead again. "Don't do that, Esme."

"Do what?"

"Don't worry about them," he kept on and took her hand. "They'll do fine without me. You're important now."

Carlisle let the water tap running and fetched Esme's cosmetics from the drawer as the hot water was slowly filling the tub in their private bathroom. He heard her bra hit the floor, then her underwear, and she sat down in the bath, her legs drawn to her chest. Carlisle sat by the edge of the tub and began slowly running fingers through her hair, carefully untangling every strand, trying not to pull her too hard. Her hands were still shivering a little, but hot water made her feel better - hesitantly, she washed her neck, flinching as the water irritated her wound.

"Are you still in such pain?" Carlisle asked, only compassion in his voice. "You're trembling."

"No, it doesn't hurt as much."

So she was still scared. It pained him deeply to see her startled.

"You don't have to be frightened anymore," he said and bent down to lay a kiss on her hairline, before taking shampoo and tenderly washing her curls. The scent of honey and milk surrounded them both, making her feel a bit calmer. Esme knew she was safe now, she always felt safe by him. "I won't ever leave you like that again. It was a mistake, and I'm sorry."

If she could, she would cry at how gentle he was with her. His fingers scratching her head made her more relaxed, and his every move was soft and slow, not to cause her any more suffering. She heard in his voice how terribly guilty he felt, and she wanted to scream that it's not his fault, that it truly was nobody's fault, but she was simply too tired.

Carlisle took the hand shower and watered the shampoo off her hair. Then he ran his fingers through it again to ensure there weren't any tangles left. She was still sitting motionlessly, but his every touch made her grateful.

"What if he comes back?" she asked quietly, and he smiled, she saw his reflection in the bathroom mirror.

"If he does, I will make him pay for what he did to you," he replied, placing his wet hands on her shoulders and rubbing her skin in a warming gesture.

He took a long look at her, at how marvelous she was, water dripping from her hair and softly flowing down her neck, her back, her breasts. She looked beautiful, but very sad, and his only purpose now was to make her feel better.

A few minutes later Esme was sitting on the bed wearing Carlisle's sweater, her short shorts, and long, fluffy socks. She couldn't get cold, of course, but she still enjoyed cozy clothing, especially in moments like this. Her head was tilted back and Carlisle put a plaster over her neck.

"It won't do much, obviously, but it'll keep it from being too irritated," he said as he was gently sticking it over the bite on her neck. He smiled at her warmly. "And we won't have to look at it."

When he was done, he stood up to throw the plastic trash into the bin under the desk. She followed his every move with her eyes, desperate to keep close to him, where she felt safest. All she wanted was peace, but she was also anxious for the kids, and when Edward called Carlisle a few minutes later, she finally sighed out with relief.

"They lost him," he informed Esme after hanging up and laid next to her. She arched her body to fit his nicely, and he threw an arm over her stomach, cuddling her close. "They're all coming back home for now."

"Good," she muttered. She didn't care about anything besides having her entire family by her, safe and sound. "I want them here and safe."

Carlisle's hand started wandering around her shoulders, sliding onto her waist, running fingers along the curves of her thighs. He knew she liked little gestures like that, and he felt her smiling.

"Are you still hurting so?"

"No," she whispered bashfully, but the tone of her voice wasn't very convincing. He chuckled.

"You know you don't have to be brave with me?" Carlisle asked. "I know you're in pain, I can see."

She shrugged gently. "I guess it hurts a bit. But I'm better, truly. I just need some peace and quiet with you."

"Ask, and you shall receive," Carlisle smiled and started playing with her damp hair, swirling the caramel strands between his fingers.

They laid in silence for a few minutes, the only sound being their breaths and the kisses Carlisle laid over her neck and shoulders, where the cracks on her skin were. She didn't flinch at his touch anymore, just gasped softly.

"I was mortified, Esme," Carlisle confessed more seriously, pressing his legs against hers. His face laid against her hair, he breathed in the sweet scent of her shampoo and sighed deeply, truly realizing how delicate she was. She felt so small in his embrace, cuddled towards his chest, and he wanted to shield her from anything wrong, yet he failed today. "I will never let you go alone again. Never. I'm sorry I let it happen tonight."

"You can't take responsibility for everything that happens to me," she whispered, but knew she had no chance against his overtaking sense of failed responsibility. Being the patriarch of their family was difficult at times, but it got even more petrifying when one of them got hurt. Especially Esme.

"It's important to me that you know I'm not disappointed with you. It wasn't your fault. It's nobody's fault, really, and I'm alright."

She turned her body to face him, and cupped his face with her tender fingers, stroking his skin with her nails. They were painted red. The evening before Esme, Alice, and Rosalie all sat down in the living room and painted each other's nails while their husbands went hunting. Rosalie braided Esme's hair, and they all tittle-tattled for the entire evening. Esme loved those moments with her daughters. They enjoyed doing mundane, normal stuff like that every once in a while. Vampire skin was immune to cosmetics, wearing them off after a few hours, so the nail polish started already jumping off Esme's nails, but it never stopped them from turning their living room into a salon. Alice always said that because the cosmetics stayed on their skin for such a short time, they should make this into a tradition honored at least thrice a week.

Esme smiled when she thought of those memories. The bite on her neck reminded her every few minutes that she was hurt, but it wasn't as relevant as the fact that Rosalie was alright. Esme would gladly take any bullet to protect her children. Perhaps Carlisle knew that, perhaps that was what scared him so much.

"I want to believe you," he smiled sadly and took her hand to lay a kiss onto her knuckles.

"There is so much on your shoulders," Esme whispered back, desperate for him to believe her. "Please, don't feel guilty for something you had no control over. I wanted to help Edward. It was my decision, and mine alone, and you would do the same if he asked you."

He kept quiet, only staring at her with an apologizing gaze.

"It's alright, darling," Esme muttered with her voice so small and faint, in another life he would be sure she was falling asleep. She found his fingers and joined them with hers. "You don't owe me anything."

He pressed his forehead against hers and saw her smiling. She was stronger than they all gave her credit for, and he felt so proud of his wife. Without her, he'd perish. She was the sun around which all the planets in his galaxy revolved. Only almost losing her made him truly realize how lucky he was to have her always by his side, making sure that he knows how much she loved him. It was a blessing. He didn't really believe creatures such as them deserved miracles, but there was one cuddled right against his chest, softly breathing against the material of his shirt, bestowing him with so much trust and love, he wasn't sure how to repay her other than to love her just as much. She'd say that he saved her, but Carlisle knew it wasn't the truth. It was the other way around - he might have bit her and changed her, but Esme, with her loud laughter and so much love she had to give, was the one that truly turned his long, lifeless existence into living.

"I love you," he whispered against her skin. "You don't even know how much."

**Author's Note:**

> Was all of this just an excuse to write hurt/comfort? Yes.  
> I suck with titles.
> 
> ALSO!! My Tumblr is esmecvllens and I'm desperate for more twilight mutuals


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